Air New Zealand flight's U-turn sparks claims of China tensions

Plane’s turnaround after four-and-a-half hours forces PM to reject suggestions frosty ties are to blame

An international flight from Auckland to Shanghai has turned around mid-air and returned to New Zealand, sparking concerns over increasingly frosty relations between the two countries and setting off a political war of words.

Air New Zealand flight NZ289 left Auckland on Sunday morning but, four-and-a-half hours into its trip to Shanghai, the Boeing 787-9 made a U-turn in a move that has been described as “very unusual” by aviation experts.

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